This body wash has a somewhat thick, creamy texture that contains an interesting mix of non-soap surfactants and soap ingredients. As the soap ingredients (which include the animal-derived tallow acid) pose a risk of dryness, it's a good thing Dove "fattened up" this body wash with emollient ingredients such as petrolatum and soybean oil. Despite the creamy feel, this body wash rinses well and produces a soap-like lather than cleanses while leaving skin feeling smooth.

The fragranced formula is suitable for all skin types except sensitive, as the amount of fragrance poses a risk of irritation. It contains a tiny amount of coconut and nonfat dry milk, neither of which has any benefit for skin; rather, they're likely included for marketing the concept of natural ingredients to consumers who want such products, even though the natural ingredients in this body wash do minimal to no work in terms of cleansing and smoothing skin. As for the vanilla and brown sugar, they're not part of the ingredient list but we suspect their scent is part of this body wash's fragrance (all ofDove's Purely Pampering washes have the same basic formula, just with different fragrances to reinforce whatever natural ingredients are called out in the product's name).

All told, this does have a "pampering" texture but whether to choose this body wash or others from Dove (or Olay or Neutrogena or St. Ives, etc.) depends mostly on price and your perception of each product's scent. Formula-wise, the Purely Pampering line from Dove doesn't' distinguish itself in a remarkable way from their numerous other body washes, though the Purely Pampering line's lather does feel a bit more "mousse like".

Strengths: Inexpensive; available in every major drugstore and mass-market store; some very good body washes.

Weaknesses: The Beauty Bars are not as bad as true soaps, but all bar cleansers present problems for skin.

From its beginnings in the 1940s with its still-available original Beauty Bar, Dove has expanded and the curiously curtailed its selection of skin-care products to the point where their facial care offerings are back to nothing more than bar cleansers.

Although their Beauty Bars have their share of problems (such as containing drying ingredients and not rinsing well), they're better than traditional bar soap. However, if you can get past your propensity for bar cleansers, neighboring lines at the drugstore offer better, gentler, water soluble cleansers (the kind Dove has offered in the past).

Where Dove holds sway at the drugstore is with its vast selection of body washes. Although the formulas often differ only by fragrance, for the most part they are excellent, affordable options, especially for normal to dry skin. The body washes in their men's line aren't quite as elegant as those in the main line, and guys should know their skin will do just fine with Dove's regular body washes.

Note: All Dove products contain fragrance unless otherwise noted.

For more information about Dove, call (800) 761-3683 or visit www.dove.com.

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Strengths: Inexpensive; available in every major drugstore and mass-market store; some very good body washes.

Weaknesses: The Beauty Bars are not as bad as true soaps, but all bar cleansers present problems for skin.

From its beginnings in the 1940s with its still-available original Beauty Bar, Dove has expanded and the curiously curtailed its selection of skin-care products to the point where their facial care offerings are back to nothing more than bar cleansers.

Although their Beauty Bars have their share of problems (such as containing drying ingredients and not rinsing well), they're better than traditional bar soap. However, if you can get past your propensity for bar cleansers, neighboring lines at the drugstore offer better, gentler, water soluble cleansers (the kind Dove has offered in the past).

Where Dove holds sway at the drugstore is with its vast selection of body washes. Although the formulas often differ only by fragrance, for the most part they are excellent, affordable options, especially for normal to dry skin. The body washes in their men's line aren't quite as elegant as those in the main line, and guys should know their skin will do just fine with Dove's regular body washes.

Note: All Dove products contain fragrance unless otherwise noted.

For more information about Dove, call (800) 761-3683 or visit www.dove.com.

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